Whether you are new to the concept of web based marketing, or an experienced Internet entrepreneur, or a small business owner, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a term you are sure to get familiarize with.
Search Engine Optimization is simply the process of optimizing your website content to achieve optimal search engine indexing and placement in search results. SEO is a critically important aspect of a successful web marketing campaign, as search engine results are potentially a major source of traffic to your website.
Many website designers and developers overlook SEO when putting together a site layout, an oversight that can end your Internet marketing campaign before it even launches. Website index and landing pages, the initial page presented to a visitor of a web site, will provide the first and best opportunity to connect with your potential customer and capture their attention. These same pages are also where you will earn the best possible search engine ranking, and should be a primary focus for SEO.
What should a good SEO landing page or index page contain? Here are a few of the important aspects that make for good search engine optimization: Keyword Rich Content. Above all other methods of achieving good SEO, keyword rich content is by far the most important. While an attractive landing page or site design is essential to making the sale or generating that lead, it is the indexed content of your site that will bring in the traffic. Your landing page should contain specific, targeted text about your product or service, and include the keywords that best describe your offerings.
Keep in mind that "keyword rich" text does not involve the practice of keyword stuffing, where a mass of potential keywords are simply crammed in to a web page. This is a poor attempt at SEO, and can actually negatively impact the rankings of your web site. Instead, include targeted marketing material on the web page, designed around your specific keywords. For example, in this article, I have used the terms "SEO", "Search Engine Optimization", and "Internet Marketing" in a well-defined directed message that will index well by search engines.
Use Targeted Title Text and Header Tags. When placing titles for sections, blocks, or posts on a web page, select a title that is targeted, keyword rich, and properly coded with HTML header elements such as <H1>, <H2>, etc. Search engines will use the text found within these elements to assist in the indexing of your content. Coding this text within these elements helps to point out to the search engines where the important information is found on your site, and using keywords within this text helps to better index the site and gain ranking.
Design for and Use Internal Links. When designing your website layout, keep in mind that you want to utilize internal linking as much as possible. Internal linking is the practice of linking between pages and content within your web site. For example, if you have a series of pages or published posts centered on a common subject, include links between the pages to better help the visitor explore the content of the website. These same links are used by search engines to index the site, and help to increase the ranking of the content.
Use internal linking wherever it makes sense, but avoid linking pages simply for the sake of trying to force a better ranking. The best SEO results are achieved based on the quality of the internal links, not the quantity of the links you have.
Designing for internal linking includes using such design features as search-friendly URLs, often called permalinks or "pretty URLS", breadcrumbs, and strategic sidebar content based on dynamic category or tag assignment. These examples of website design help search engines to index site content and easily lead a search engine to related content within the site.
These are just a few of the important factors to consider when designing your web marketing strategy or campaign with SEO in mind. Search engine optimization is a subject with much depth and a broad spectrum of opinions, so do your homework, and consult an experienced web design consultant or developer on the best SEO strategies for your website.
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